Automatically-closing can



(No Model.)

No. 387,960. Patented Aug. 14, 1888.

ff W7 UNITED STATES PATENT GEORGE A. POOLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATlCALLYCLOSING CAN.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,960, dated August14, 1888.

Application filed June 30, 185'8. Serial No. 278,650. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. POOLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,haveinvented certain new and usefulImprovenientsinAutomatically-ClOsingCansand Bottles, which are fully setforth in the follow ing specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, and in which the drawingshows one of my improved bottle or can Stoppers, the entire gure, exceptthe stopper d, chain e, and ball f, being shown cut by a centralvertical plane parallel to the paper.

The object of my invention is to improve the construction ofautomatically opening and closing bottles, cans, Sie., wherein the corkand weight are united by a chain Or any like .ilexible connectioninstead of a rod or stiff wire, as shown in my previous application,filed May 2l, 1888, Serial No. 274,481, and to that end I construct myimproved device substantially as follows, namely:

Through the cork or cover (in this ease a screw-cap) l pass a tube, c,preferably some distance into the vessel,and,through its inner end arecut a number of holes, g, of any suitable form and size. Upon the mouthor outer end of said tube is fitted a valve, of conical shape andinverted, its base preferably being hemispherical, or, as the wholestructure is sometimes termed, pearshaped77 To the point of said valveis attached a chain, e, or said part may be a cord or any other likelieXible connection, andy to the lower end of said chain is attachedaweight, f,preferably larger than the bore of the tube c. The length ofsaid chain is so adjust-ed as to hold the valve, when open,far enoughwithin or near thetube c to act freely and move to its place wheneverangle of about thirty or forty degrees from the vertical. After the canassumes a position nearer the horizontal, the weight f begins to act,and when the can is in a position more or less horizontal, depending onthe form of the can and the relative weights of the valve and weight,the valve will be closed. The greater the preponderance of the weight j'over the valve d the quicker and, more effectual will be the operationof the mechanism. It will readilybe observed from what has preceded thatthis mechanism will always close the can or bottle whenever it is thrownupon its side and thereby prevent the outflow and loss of its contents.The holes g pass the contents of the can when the ball has fallen uponthe end of the tube and closed it.

What I claim is- 1. In an automatically opening and closing can orbottle, a tube, in combination with a cork and a weight within the can,which are united by a chain or like flexible connection, substantiallyas specified.

2. In an automatically opening and closing can or bottle,a tube, incombination with a cork and weight within the can, which are united by achain or like ilexible connection, and means whereby the contents of thevessel may be discharged through said tube, substantially as specified.

GEORGE A. POOLE.

Vitnesses:

WM. ZIMMERMAN, Jos. Bossu.

